This applications seeks continuation of the Minority Access to Research Careers Program at New Mexico State University (NMSU). The overall goal of the program is to increase the number of minority individual participating in biomedical research careers. While this program is for undergraduate students, the ultimate goal is to prepare students for completion of Ph.D. degrees in biomedical sciences. NMSU proposes to prepare 20 junior/senior students to achieve this degree. This will be accomplished by (1) requiring a "Introduction to Research" classroom experience that includes training in writing and presentation skills, help in graduate school application, graduate TA training and discussions in ethics, (2) requiring on and off campus laboratory research experiences, (3) summer training experiences in bioinformatics, (4) summer GRE preparation and (5) participation in pre-MARC activities that will provide role-models for other students at NMSU as well as local graduating high school seniors. Evaluation plans for these activities are presented. In addition, funds are requested to initiate a bioinformatics training component that will impact both MARC students and faculty training MARC students. This program will further develop existing skills at NMSU for dissemination of information regarding bioinformatics, develop a new bioinformatics course at NMSU for MARC undergraduate students and develop a bioinformatics workshop to train faculty at NMSU and other MARC serving campuses across the country. Evaluation plans for each activity are presented.